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COLORADO’S ELECTRIC COOPERATIVES SUPPORT LOCAL YOUTH

SEE WHAT CO-OP STUDENTS ARE DOING THIS SUMMER! Youth Leadership Camp 2018

This June, Colorado will send 34 hand-picked delegates on the National Rural Electric Washington D.C. Youth Tour where over 1,800 students from around the country will learn about the political process, tour the nation’s capital up close and interact with their legislators. In July, 100 co-op kids will come together at a camp near Steamboat Springs to develop leadership skills, learn about the development and operation of a cooperative and have tons of fun meeting new people — all while experiencing Colorado’s great outdoors. Keep track of these adventures on our social media channels and watch for recaps from campers and delegates in future issues of Colorado Country Life magazine.

CONGRATS TO THE 2018 CO-OP STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES

[contents] 4 5 6 7 12 14 16 20 22 24 25 28 29 30

VIEWPOINT LETTERS TO THE EDITOR COMMUNITY EVENTS

MAY 2018 Volume 49, Number 5

YOUR CO-OP NEWS NEWS CLIPS INDUSTRY COVER STORY RECIPES GARDENING OUTDOORS ENERGY TIPS CLASSIFIEDS

“The High Country” by Bridget Frederick, a member of Empire Electric Association.

MORE WAYS TO CONNECT WITH US

FUNNY STORIES

coloradocountrylife.coop

DISCOVERIES

[cover] Get outside and discover birding in your own backyard or explore birding around the state.

PINTEREST SNEAK PEAK

FACEBOOK CHATTER

THE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE COLORADO RURAL ELECTRIC ASSOCIATION COMMUNICATIONS STAFF Mona Neeley, CCC, Publisher/Editor; mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org Cassi Gloe, CCC, Production Manager/Designer; cgloe@coloradocountrylife.org Kylee Coleman, Editorial/Admin. Assistant; kcoleman@coloradocountrylife.org ADVERTISING Kris Wendtland, Ad Representative; advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | advertising@coloradocountrylife.org | 303-902-7276 National Advertising Representative, American MainStreet Publications | 611 S. Congress Street, Suite 504 | Austin, TX 78704 | 800-626-1181 Advertising Standards: Publication of an advertisement in Colorado Country Life does not imply endorsement by any Colorado rural electric cooperative or the Colorado Rural Electric Association. COLORADO COUNTRY LIFE (USPS 469-400/ISSN 1090-2503) is published monthly by Colorado Rural Electric Association, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216-1731. Periodical postage paid at Denver, Colorado. ©Copyright 2018, Colorado Rural Electric Association. Call for reprint rights. EDITORIAL Denver Corporate Office, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216; Phone: 303-455-4111 | mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org | coloradocountrylife.coop | facebook.com/COCountryLife | Twitter.com/ COCountryLife | Pinterest.com/COCountryLife | YouTube.com/COCountryLife1 Editorial opinions published in Colorado Country Life magazine shall pertain to issues affecting rural electric cooperatives, rural communities and citizens. The opinion of CREA is not necessarily that of any particular cooperative or individual. SUBSCRIBERS Report change of address to your local cooperative. Do not send change of address to Colorado Country Life. Cost of subscription for members of participating electric cooperatives is $4.44 per year (37 cents per month), paid from equity accruing to the member. For nonmembers, a subscription is $9 per year in-state/$15 out-of-state. POSTMASTER Send address changes to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington Street, Denver, CO 80216

coloradocountrylife.coop

COCountryLife pinned: Make mom a special dessert this Mother’s Day. Give this coconut macaroon tart a try.

FAVORITE TWEETS

ColoradoREA posted: THANK YOU Senator Michael Bennet for spending time with our member-owners addressing our priority policies this week while we were in Washington, DC! #RuralElectric #CoopsInDC #CoLeg

MONTHLY CONTEST

@ColoradoREA posted: Great work by Colorado’s Electric Co-ops enabling more broadband access in rural Colorado! Thanks @GovHick and the CO General Assembly!

Celestron 71332 Nature DX 8x42 Binocular (Green) Enter for your chance to win binoculars and a field guide for bird-watching. To enter, visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn how.

MAY 2018

[viewpoint]

HOPE BLOOMS IN D.C.

Colorado co-op representatives take electric co-op message to Congress BY KENT SINGER CREA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR KSINGER@COLORADOREA.ORG

It’s hard to imagine a better time to be in Washington, D.C., than during cherry blossom season. This year, the annual legislative conference hosted by our national trade group, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, brought Colorado electric co-op representatives to D.C. in time for the annual pink and white spectacle. The Yoshino cherry trees around the Tidal Basin near Kent Singer the Jefferson Memorial and on the grounds of the U.S. Capitol were in full bloom and provided a spark of hope in the midst of the contentious political atmosphere that dominates the city.

While we were in Washington, the Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin), announced that he would not be seeking reelection to his congressional seat this fall, therefore giving up the speakership. This is one more indication that our country’s two major political parties are further apart than ever and, even within the major parties, there are factions that make legislative compromises hard to reach. But, despite the divisive political atmosphere, there are issues that receive bipartisan support. One area of agreement for a majority of those elected to Congress, including the entire Colorado delegation, is the value of the electric cooperative program and the need to support that program in various legislative proposals. When we visited Washington, we discussed a number of these issues as we met with Colorado’s senators and representatives. Our first request involved funding for the electric co-op loan program. The recent budget agreement provides adequate funding for electric co-ops and our “ask” during the legislative rally was for Congress to continue that funding through 2019. Building and maintaining the facilities needed to provide power in rural America is expensive. Since co-ops don’t have access to a tax base and can’t sell bonds like other utilities, it helps to have access to loans from the government. And electric co-op loans are beneficial to the government, since the co-ops repay these 4

MAY 2018

loans with interest. This is one program that adds to the government coffers. We also asked our congressional delegation to support several ongoing co-op programs as a part of a comprehensive farm bill being negotiated. The Rural Energy for America Program, the Rural Economic Development Loan and Grant Program and the Rural Energy Savings Program are all programs that enable co-ops to assist their members and rural communities. We asked our delegation to support these programs. A second issue that we brought up with our delegation involved funding for rural broadband to assist those co-ops that want to provide broadband in their communities. We were successful in the state legislature this year in making funds available for rural broadband. Additional federal support of rural broadband could help some of these projects. Finally, we asked our delegation to oppose any plans to sell the transmission assets of the power marketing administrations, or PMAs, that currently sell their electricity to co-ops and other public power utilities. Co-ops and other “preference power” customers paid the costs of operating the federal dams and power generating stations for decades and should continue to receive the benefits of those resources. We asked that the PMAs continue to sell their power to existing customers at cost-based rates, which will help maintain stable rates for all of Colorado’s co-op members. It was good to find issues that can be solved as we all work together, no matter what our political leanings are. When I’m in Washington, I like to take a morning run around the Capitol building, past the Supreme Court and the Library of Congress, down the National Mall past the Washington Monument and the World War II Memorial and on down to the Lincoln Memorial. I always make it a point to run up the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and read the Gettysburg Address on the south wall of the memorial and Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address on the north wall. In the Second Inaugural Address, President Lincoln could see that the Civil War was finally coming to an end, and he knew there would be a postwar need for reconciliation between the north and the south. While our challenges today pale in comparison to the challenges of 1865, Lincoln’s suggestion that we act “with malice toward none and with charity for all” remains good advice for contemporary politicians. We can find ways to come together, even if it is only to agree that the cherry blossoms are spectacular.

Kent Singer, Executive Director coloradocountrylife.coop

[letters] Backup Generator Safety

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The Gardening column recommended planting fast-growing trees to provide shade. Fast-growing trees are called “trash trees.” They are brittle and weak. Strong winds or heavy snow will cause twigs and branches to fall. You’ll spend a lot of time cleaning up those twigs. Barbara Klein, Wellington, a Poudre Valley Rural Electric Association member

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Letters must be signed and include the writer’s name and full address. Send to Editor Mona Neeley at 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or Now Available at mneeley@coloradocountrylife.org. in 3 Sizes! Letters may be edited for length. coloradocountrylife.coop

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I read with interest your item on selecting backup generators (February ’18). As an engineer who spent many years on the generation side of the electric utility industry, I wanted to offer a comment. The article states correctly that a wholehouse generator connected to a breaker panel needs to have a transfer switch for the safety of utility workers. I would like to add that when any generator, including a portable unit, is connected to a breaker panel, the panel must have a means of disconnecting the panel from normal utility service before the generator output can be connected to the panel. This safety feature must be installed even if the generator is connected to the panel by back feeding the panel with one or more extension cords from the generator’s receptacles. I cannot overemphasize how important it is to have this feature installed in any panel that is to be connected to a home generator. Breaker-panel manufacturers offer manual-interlock kits that can be retrofitted to existing panels. These are used in lieu of the automatic-transfer switch that would be used with a whole-house generator. I recommend that manual-interlock kits be installed by a licensed electrician or other qualified individual. Vic Lucariello, P.E., via email

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MAY 2018

[community events] [May] May 4-29 Salida “Valley Visions” Art Exhibition SteamPlant Annex salidacouncilforthearts.org May 5 Bellvue “Open Firehouse” Wildfire Community Preparedness Day Rist Canyon Volunteer Fire Department 10 am-2 pm • info@rcvfd.org May 5 Denver Walk MS: Denver & 5K Run Denver City Park 855-372-1331 • walkms.org May 5 Loveland Community Plant Swap Grace Yoga 10 am-2 pm • 970-646-2022 May 5 Red Feather Lakes 9Health Fair The Chapel in the Pines 8 am-12 pm • 970-409-7622 May 9 Larkspur Taste of Tri-Lakes Cares Flying Horse Ranch 5:30-7:30 pm • info@tri-lakescares. org May 10 Buena Vista “History of Volcanic Activity in Chaffee County” Presentation Sangre de Cristo Electric meeting room 6:30 pm • rockaholics.org May 11-13 Colorado Springs Pikes Peak Birding & Nature Festival Various Colorado Springs Locations pikespeakbirdingandnaturefestival. org May 11-12 Stoneham Antique Sale Primitive Junk Market sjmarostica@yahoo.com May 12 Colorado Springs Fashion Show Brunch and Designer Handbag Auction Broadmoor Hotel’s West Ballroom 11 am • 719-660-1949

MAY 2018

May 12 Durango Durango Farmers Market First National Bank Parking Lot 8 am-12 pm durangofarmersmarket.com May 12-June 17 Loveland Colorado Governor’s Art Show & Sale Loveland Museum/Gallery 970-670-0335 governorsartshow.org May 12 Loveland Plant Sale and Artisan Market All Saint’s Episcopal Church 9 am-2 pm • 970-412-5886 May 18 Colorado Springs Greenhouse Production Workshop 17 N. Spruce Street Preregister Before May 16 10 am-4 pm • 719-520-7676 May 18-20 Woodland Park Pike’s Predicament Adventure Race Red Rocks Group Campground 361adventures.com/pikes May 19 Castle Rock Tomatoes 101 Class CALF’s Lowell Ranch 9-10:45 am • thecalf.org May 19-20 Colorado Springs Woodcarving Show 6 S. 33rd Street sgurnett@comcast.net May 19-June 19 La Veta Ricky Tims and Justin Shults Photography Exhibit La Veta Gallery on Main lavetagalleryonmain.com

“Ride the Cog” Museum Fundraiser

May 19, 9 am-3 pm Start at Wild Goose Coffee; finish line at Hayden Heritage Center Museum, Hayden

“Ride the Cog” features three bike courses: a 30-mile gravel grinder scenic tour with a climb up the West Cog; a 26-mile mud ride with a ride up the Middle Cog then through the backcountry; and an easy family ride with activities. The museum will host an after party with lunch and live music. Sign up early for a $10 discount. For more information, call 970-276-4380 or visit haydenheritagecenter.org.

May 28 Howard Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast Howard Fire Station 7:30-10:30 am • 719-942-4213 May 28 Monument Memorial Day Ceremony Monument Cemetery 10 am • townofmonument.org May 30-June 2 Fort Collins Opera Festival Various Fort Collins Locations 970-482-0220 • operafortcollins.org

[June]

May 19 Grand Junction Llama and Alpaca Show Mesa County Fairgrounds 9 am-4 pm • cajwdj@aol.com

June 1-2 Granby Airport Tours and Educational Exhibits Granby/Grand County Airport 11 am-2 pm grandcountyhistory.org

May 23 Colorado Springs Picnic-N-Planes Western Museum of Mining & Industry 10 am-1:30 pm • 719-488-0880

June 2 Berthoud Berthoud Day Various Berthoud Locations 11 am-9 pm • berthoudday.com

May 25-27 Creede “Barefoot in the Park” Theater Performance Creede Repertory Theatre 719-658-2540 • creederep.org

June 2 Aguilar Opening Day and Mountain Mafia Authors’ Presentation Apishapa Valley Heritage Center 719-680-1393 June 2 Meeker Meekerpalooza Downtown Meeker meekerpalooza.com June 9 Walsh Walsh Art Festival Gem Theater 9 am-3 pm 719-529-9933 • 719-523-6911

SEND CALENDAR ITEMS

TWO MONTHS IN ADVANCE TO:

Calendar, Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216; fax to 303455-2807; or email calendar@ coloradocountrylife.org.

Please send name of event, date, time, venue, brief description, phone number, a photo, if you have one, and email and/or website for more information. coloradocountrylife.coop

The Next

PoWEr Generation

Conserve + Educate + Innovate

Joseph D. Martin Board President

Jim C. Herron Chief Executive Officer

Annual Report to MVEA Members Stewardship: noun | stew·ard·ship | The conducting, supervising, or managing of something; especially: the careful and responsible management of something entrusted to one’s care. As you review this annual report, know that we not only value your opinion, we know that we need your perspective to keep the co-op message relevant to our membership. With that said, we would like to invite you to the Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. (MVEA) 77th Annual Meeting of Members on Thursday, June 7, at the Calhan School. If you have not attended the Annual Meeting in the past, or if it has been a few years, we urge you to join us—active involvement is a terrific way to learn more about your electric cooperative. Accountability to our members is one of the values that drives us. The purpose of this annual report is to update our members on the state of MVEA, your electric co-op. We are happy to share that MVEA continues to be fiscally responsible as well as financially strong and stable. We encourage you to take a moment to review the information in the following pages. We have included financial points of interest, programs that are unique to electric co-ops, and a detailed 2017 financial report for your review. Reviewing a financial report is not usually considered a “fun” activity, but the information provided tells a very important story. One story the numbers tell is that MVEA is currently experiencing unprecedented growth in El Paso County, on the western border of our 5,000 square mile service territory. Over the last two years, we have added more than 1,300 new services a year, and experienced an increase of 4.15 percent in kilowatt hour sales from 818,478,684 kWh in 2016 to 852,451,379 kWh in 2017. The numbers also illustrate a commitment to service reliability and system integrity. Advances in technology, combined with continued system improvements, allow us to strive for reliability ratings that exceed industry standards. In 2017, MVEA’s System Average Interruption Duration Index (SAIDI) rating was 59.41. The national median SAIDI rating is 110. coloradocountrylife.coop

This index is based on the average amount of time MVEA members experience an outage, indicated in minutes per member, over the course of a year. In the face of Colorado’s unpredictable weather that rolls across the Eastern Plains and sits across the Palmer Divide, our SAIDI rating is a result of strategic planning, scheduled maintenance, and collaboration between MVEA’s dedicated employees. Another point of pride: balancing unprecedented co-op growth while keeping expenses in check through fiscal stewardship. Our 2017 revenue was $111,434,156, and our margins after expenses were $9,921,939. As an electric co-op, creating margins are a point of pride as they are returned to you, our members, in the form of capital credits. Creating margins, while maintaining service reliability is something MVEA strives for. In fact, we have been able to retire more than $56 million in capital credits to members since our first retirement. It’s been said that the creation of America’s electric grid by coops throughout the nation is one of the greatest examples of men and women working together for a common cause in the last 100 years. The movement started in 1935 as a New Deal initiative and quickly gained momentum. By 1953, more than 90 percent of U.S. farms had electricity. Electric co-ops now serve 42 million people, power 56% of the nation’s land mass, and own and maintain 2.6 million miles of electric distribution lines. As an MVEA member, you are part of the legacy of electric co-op members that brought light to night, and a better quality of life with modern convenience and comfort to rural America. As your electric co-op, we are stewards to ensure that future generations of co-op members have access to safe and reliable electricity that puts service to members front and center. While a lot has changed in our industry and will continue to change — past, present and future — one thing remains the same: the power of the co-op community, the poWEr of “WE.” MAY 2018

2017 MVEA Highlights System Growth & Reliability Continued growth within El Paso County throughout 2017 resulted in 13 new subdivisions and subdivision filings throughout the year as well as the electric infrastructure required to accommodate the newest additions to MVEA’s membership. As we have shared previously, we expect this growth to continue in the next few years. It is projected to exceed our historical growth trends considerably. MVEA’s current system of 6,140 miles of energized line and 23 substations receive scheduled upgrades and maintenance as part of our focused efforts to continue to improve service quality and reliability as we continue to grow. A snapshot of our efforts through 2017 includes: •

• • •

• •

Substation upgrades, including transformers, lighting arrestors, circuit breakers, and related equipment. Rebuilt 28 miles of overhead copperweld line due to a March 2017 storm in Karval, CO. Upgraded an additional 44.1 miles of overhead copperweld line. Injected approximately 14.2 miles of underground line. This procedure uses advanced technology to inject an insulating agent into cables. It is a cost effective measure to extend the life of the existing cable at a considerable savings compared to traditional cable replacement. Completed 3 miles of underground cable replacement. Patrolled 1,855 miles of line and tested 12,891 poles throughout MVEA’s service territory.

Innovation & Technology It goes without saying that providing electricity to a service territory that spans over 5,000 square miles requires a lot of infrastructure. Monitoring the location of MVEA’s infrastructure service points has became more cost-effective

and efficient due to Global Positioning System (GPS) technology. MVEA started a Geographical Information System (GIS) field inventory of the entire distribution system in 2015. The initial project was completed in 2017 and captured 200,875 GIS service points. The GIS project allows MVEA to more easily identify areas for necessary improvements based on the ability to accurately track maintenance and outage events on the system and will ultimately lead to improved service.

Capital Credits YOU get the credit as an MVEA electric co-op member. Because electric co-ops operate at cost, any excess revenues, called net margins, are allocated to members in the form of capital credits. When the Board deems the co-op financially capable of doing so, capital credits are retired (which means paid) to members. Dedication to fiscally responsible planning and business practices has enabled MVEA to retire more than $56 million in capital credits since our first retirement. In 2017, the Board retired over $3.4 million in capital credits and 44,286 MVEA co-op members were issued checks in December. MVEA’s Board of Directors are firmly committed to retiring capital credits. It is their belief that the allocation and retirement of capital credits is one of the most unique and rewarding benefits of being a member of an electric cooperative. Their dedication to this belief, puts MVEA in the top 35 percent of capital credits retiring electric co-ops in the U.S. according to the National Rural Utilities Cooperative Finance Corporation (CFC). Simply put: Not all co-ops retire capital credits, and not all co-ops retire capital credits in a way that benefits the most members. It’s one aspect of co-op membership that is unique to MVEA.

Operation Round Up® Pennies add up to great things at MVEA. Through the generosity of members who round up their electric bill to the nearest dollar, Operation Round Up® has given over $100,000 back to the community each year since its inception in 1999. In total, the program has distributed over $2.8 million back into the community. Operation Round Up® was formed to assist the members and communities that we serve. Your monthly tax deductible donation can vary between one penny per month or 99 cents. The extra change, an average of 50 cents a month or $6 a year, is your contribution to the program (the maximum yearly contribution is just $11.88 a year). This amount may not seem like much, but when multiplied by the 28,000 MVEA members who currently opt in to the program, the fund can make a powerfully positive impact on the community. Currently, over 60 percent of MVEA’s members opt-in to participate in the program.

Energy Efficiency Rebates Currently, our residential average monthly use per meter is 930 kWh. We would like to help our members bring that number down. As a not-for-profit, our focus is on providing our members with safe and reliable electricity, not creating profits for investors. In fact, we encourage all members to use our energy efficiency rebate program and online efficiency tools to help decrease kilowatt-hour usage. In the last two years, MVEA has processed over 15,800 residential and commercial energy efficiency rebates and issued over $300,000 back to our members. Whether upgrading to LED lighting or investing in ENERGY STAR® appliances, our rebate program is a great way to start putting energy efficiency to work for you. To learn more, visit www. mvea.coop and click on “Save Energy & Money.”

2017 FAST FACTS: YOUR GROWING ELECTRIC CO-OP Members Served: Over 46,300

Added 85 Miles of Energized Lines

2017 kWh Sales: 852,451,379

Upgraded 72+ Miles of Overhead Lines

4.15% Increase from 2016

ast

c ore 8F

5.43% Increase in Net Utility Plant Continued Co-op Growth 8

MAY 2018

coloradocountrylife.coop

MVEA Board of Directors & District Map Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. (MVEA) is governed by a Board of Directors elected by its co-op members. The Board establishes MVEA’s policies and monitors the financial position and the management of the cooperative to assure that its plans and programs are in keeping with accepted industry standards of sound business practices. In these matters, and other business of the organization, each Director represents the interests of the electric co-op membership.

The Next

PoWEr Generation

Joseph D. Martin President District 1

Conserve + Educate + Innovate

Barry R. Springer Vice President District 6

Milton L. Mathis Secretary/Treasurer District 4

20 Annual Meeting 18 of Members

Donna J. Andersen-Van Ness Assistant Secretary District 7

See MVEA’s district map below to locate where each district and its corresponding Director are located.

You are cordially invited to join your electric co-op at the Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. 77th Annual Meeting of Members.

Thursday • June 7, 2018

Errol Hertneky District 3

Rick L. Gordon District 2

4:30 p.m. Registration, Dinner & Entertainment

Kevin L. Paddock District 5

6:30 p.m. Business Meeting, Board of Directors Election, Door Prizes & Four $500 Whole Home LED Lighting Giveaway Winners Announced! Business Meeting Attendees Receive a “Conserve & Save Energy” LED Starter Pack & Are Entered Into Drawings For Cash & Prizes!

Notice of 2018 Annual Meeting A meeting of the membership will be held annually for the purpose of electing Directors, passing upon reports covering the previous fiscal year and transacting such other business identified in this notice of meeting. The Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. 2018 Annual Meeting of Members will be held at the Calhan School, 800 Bulldog Drive, Calhan, CO 80808 on Thursday, June 7, 2018, commencing at 6:30 p.m.

The Seven Electric Cooperative Principles: Your MVEA Membership Matters. Cooperatives around the world operate according to the same set of core principles and values that trace their roots back to 1844. How we incorporate these principles into our business model and build relationships with our co-op members is more important than ever during an era that is influenced by changes in rural communities, government regulations and technology. We take great pride in building partnerships and creating options that provide our members with programs that “traditional” utility companies do not regularly provide.

1 Open & Voluntary Membership coloradocountrylife.coop

Democratic Member Control

3 Members’ Economic Participation

Autonomy & Independence

5 Education, Training, & Information

Cooperation Among Cooperatives

7 Concern for Community MAY 2018

Mission: To provide our members reliable and affordable electric service consistent with sound business and engineering practices.

2017 MVEA Financial Report 2017 (unaudited) 2016 (audited)

STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS

Electric Revenue & Patronage Capital Less Operating Deductions of: Cost of Purchased Power Operating Expenses Depreciation Expense Interest & Other Expenses Electric Operating Margins Nonelectric Operating Margins and G&T Capital Credits Allocation

$111,434,156

$104,287,377

$71,273,961 $20,837,552 $7,901,796 $6,307,968 $5,112,879

Vision: To be conscientious stewards of $65,990,089 our resources and adopters of beneficial $19,341,692 $7,260,654 new ideas and technologies, with clear $6,251,173 and open communications, meeting $5,443,769

$4,809,060

TOTAL MARGINS

$9,921,939

competitive, political and technological challenges of our industry.

$2,856,073 $8,299,842

•

Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2017

ASSETS 2017 (unaudited)

Net Utility Plant Investments in Associated Organizations Cash & Temporary Investments Notes & Accounts Receivable Inventory & Supplies Other Current & Accrued Assets Deferred Debits TOTAL ASSETS

$226,203,211 $68,197,273 $7,084,913 $7,860,908 $3,039,952 $12,782 $2,963,517

$315,362,556

2016 (audited)

•

$218,371,985 • $64,677,032 • $14,711,399 • $8,884,548 • $2,340,441 • $21,035 • $3,533,813

$312,540,253

Local. Trusted. Serving You.

Balance Sheet as of December 31, 2017

LIABILITIES 2017 (unaudited) 2016 (audited)

Patronage Capital Long-Term Debt Accumulated Operating Provisions Notes & Accounts Payable Consumer Deposits Other Current & Accrued Liabilities Deferred Credits

$123,401,939 $165,145,236 $1,673,564 $8,943,526 $3,766,270 $8,200,303 $4,231,718

TOTAL LIABILITIES

$315,362,556

$117,008,643 $171,557,130 $1,749,541 $7,679,110 $2,930,155 $7,921,512 $3,694,162

$312,540,253

2017 Summary of Operating Costs Interest and Other Expenses 6%

Depreciation Expense 7%

Operating Expenses 20%

Other 4%

Irrigation 1%

Large Power 18% Residential 69%

Purchased Power 67%

$71,273,961 67% $20,837,552 20% $7,901,796 7% $6,307,968 6% $106,321,277 100%

Mountain View Electric Association, Inc. • www.mvea.coop • (800) 388-9881 10

2017 Summary of Revenue Sources Small Commercial 8%

Summary of Operating Costs Purchased Power Operating Expenses Depreciation Expense Interest & Other Expenses

MAY 2018

Counties Served: Arapahoe, Crowley, Douglas, Elbert, El Paso, Lincoln, Pueblo and Washington Service Territory: 5,000 square miles # of Services: 54,651 # of Members: over 46,300 # of Employees: 148 Meters Per Mile: 8.90 Energized Line: 6,140 miles Power Source: Tri-State Generation & Transmission

Summary of Revenue Sources Residential Large Power Small Commercial Other Irrigation

$76,129,923 69% $19,418,366 18% $9,199,368 8% $5,408,221 4% $627,438 1% $110,783,316 100%

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[newsclips]

Finalists Named as Co-ops Push for New Technologies

Outdoor Safety Is Not Child’s Play Warmer weather is coming; on some days it’s already here. And those sunny days beckon the kids to go out and play. That makes it a good time to remind them of electrical hazards they may find as they roam yards and open spaces. Take time to point out electrical equipment such as overhead power lines and the service lines bringing electricity to your house. These are not insulated and should never be touched. Kids should stay off of trees that could possibly touch any of these lines. And, they should fly their kites far away from power lines and drop the kite string immediately if the kite gets caught on a power line. If power lines are underground and a big green metal box sits either curbside or along a back fence in the neighborhood, let the kids know that these are not places to jump and play. They contain electrical equipment. Teach them to never touch anything inside of a box if it happens to be open. For more summer safety tips, visit your local co-op’s website or safeelectricity.org.

Science took another step toward removing carbon emissions from the atmosphere and utilizing them in positive ways when the final five teams in the Carbon XPRIZE competition were named during the April Future of Energy Summit in New York City. Researchers will soon begin installing these five projects at the Integrated Test Center in Wyoming. The teams will use flue gas from Basin Electric’s 422-megawatt Dry Fork Station to test the capture, utilization and sequestration of carbon. The contest is scheduled to end in 2020 with a winning technology being named. “The Integrated Test Center is a shining example of how America’s electric cooperatives are pushing the boundaries of innovation,” said Jim Spiers of the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association. NRECA, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, Basin Electric, the state of Wyoming and the NRG COSIA Carbon XPRIZE have all partnered in sponsoring this competition.

How Americans Use Electricity Electricity is an essential part of modern life. Last year, the use of electricity in the U.S. was 13 times greater than electricity use in 1950. The latest data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration shows the combined use of clothes washers and dryers, computers, dishwashers, small appliances and other electrical equipment accounts for 40 percent of electricity consumption in American homes.

15.4%

Space Cooling

42.5% 60%

9.5%

All other uses

Water Heating

Appliances & Electronics

9.4% Lighting 11%

Lighting

8.5%

5.9%

TVs & related equipment

8.8%

Space Heating

Refrigerators & Freezers

Source: EIA, Annual Energy Outlook 2018. Includes consumption for heat and operating furnace fans and boiler pumps. 2 Includes miscellaneous appliances, clothes washers and dryers, computers and related equipment, stoves, dishwashers, heating elements, and motors. 1

MAY 2018

coloradocountrylife.coop

[ newsclips]

Co-ops Keep the Heat on Congress Co-op funds in the Farm Bill, protecting the power marketing administrations that supply low-cost electricity to electric co-ops and others, and investing in rural broadband were all part of the focus of the 2018 NRECA Legislative Conference in Washington, D.C. About 75 representatives of Colorado’s electric cooperatives gathered with close to 2,000 other co-op representatives at the April 8-11 conference hosted by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, the co-ops’ national trade association. Led by the Colorado Rural Electric Association staff, the Colorado co-op directors, managers and employees brought their concerns to the attention of Colorado’s congressional delegation. There were meetings with Sens. Cory Gardner (R) and Michael Bennet (D), and with Reps. Jared Polis (D), Scott Tipton (R), Mike Coffman (R) and Ed Perlmutter (D). Staff members from the offices of Reps. Diana DeGette (D), Ken Buck (R) and Doug Lamborn (D) also met with co-op representatives. The co-ops appreciate that everyone in Colorado’s delegation supports the $5.5 billion in the federal farm bill for the Rural Utilities Services electric co-op loan program. Colorado’s senators and representatives are also supportive of the other loan and grant programs in the bill that will assist co-ops as economic development organizations in their rural communities. The co-op group did ask the senators and representatives to turn back the administration’s budget proposal to sell the transmission assets of the power marketing administrations, which the co-ops and other utilities paid for over the years and which provide costbased rates that help keep public power rates stable. The group also asked the delegation to support a permanent loan-grant program through RUS that will help overcome the high-cost barriers of bringing high-speed internet services to rural America. Other issues that were part of the meetings included Federal Emergency Management Agency reform that will maintain the commitment to disaster recovery while streamlining the process of accessing FEMA funds; modernization of the Public Utilities

Sen. Michael Bennet (D) talks to Colorado cooperative members in D.C.

Sen. Cory Gardner (R) takes time to discuss important issues with Colorado electric cooperative members.

Regulatory Policies Act of 1978 (PURPA) to address today’s electricity market; support for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program, and support for H.R. 1873, the Electricity Reliability and Forest Protection Act that streamlines rights-ofway reviews and timelines to ensure reliability and reduces the risk of fires and fire hazards on rights-of-way across federal lands. There were great discussions, questions and dialogue in each of the meetings during the time in D.C.

Colorado Family Ranch Recognized for Environmental Stewardship Beatty Canyon Ranch in Las Animas County was named the 2018 Colorado Leopold Conservation Award recipient. The prestigious award recognizes extraordinary achievement in voluntary conservation and is presented annually by Tri-State Generation and Transmission Association, supplier to 18 of the state’s 22 electric cooperatives, and other ag-related organizations. Beatty Canyon Ranch is owned and operated by Steve and Joy Wooten and Brady and Arin Burnham and has the fourth, fifth and sixth generations of family involved in day-to-day operations. The award and its $10,000 prize will be presented at the June 18 Colorado Cattlemen’s Association convention in Loveland. This year’s other finalists were the Livingston Ranch near Stratton and the Stults Ranch near Wray. The Leopold award is given in honor of renowned conservationist Aldo Leopold.

coloradocountrylife.coop

Colorado Prepares to Bring Electricity to Guatemalan Villages Two Colorado co-op representatives recently returned from Guatemala where they began plans to bring electricity to the small villages of Pie de Cerro and Tierra Blanca Salinas. The project will involve a team of lineworkers from electric co-ops in Colorado and Oklahoma building power lines through a jungle to these small villages.

MAY 2018

[industry]

SCHOOLS SAVE CASH

Energy efficiency program cuts operating costs for local Colorado schools BY KATIE KERSHMAN

Colorado schools are saving $102,000 annually through the Colorado Energy Office’s Energy Savings for Schools (ESS) program. Energy costs are the second highest operating costs K-12 schools face today. It’s estimated that more than $2 billion could be saved nationwide by improving energy efficiency, according to a 2011 study by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. Thanks to CEO’s ESS program, local schools are becoming more energy efficient and accessing that savings. To date, CEO has provided 46 schools with an energy audit or technical support, and those schools are implementing priority efficiency projects. Through the program, schools receive free on-site energy and water audits from an energy engineer; technical support and energy coaching; an evaluation of renewable energy opportunities; implementation support and help identifying existing funding and financing options for completing projects; connections with peer schools and a platform for sharing ideas and

knowledge; recognition for the school’s efforts and opportunities to engage students; and (on a case-by-case basis) an energy monitoring device to measure electricity use and access to real-time data on a webbased dashboard. When a new school joins the program, the ESS team works with the school to collect and review building utility data (electricity, natural gas and water) before the site visit. “Reviewing utility data before a site visit gives us insight into how a building is performing and highlights potential areas for improved efficiency. Concerns expressed by school staff are used along with insights gained from the historic utility data to help customize our approach for each unique facility,” energy efficiency engineer John Butler said. Often, students shadow the audit and learn about recommendations for improved efficiency. They also are encouraged to get more involved in how their schools use and can conserve energy to create lasting impacts.

Energy efficiency engineer John Butler engages students during their school audit.

After the site visit, the energy engineer prepares a customized report with recommendations for the school. “We understand how limited resources — especially time and financial resources — can be for these rural and low-income schools, so we prepare our reports with the aim to help each school prioritize strategies and next steps,” Butler said. “And the report is only the first step. We work closely with school staff to identify what projects make the most sense and help navigate the process of getting projects done. Many times, this means helping schools identify funding or soliciting and reviewing bids from contractors.” To help fund recommended projects, ESS staff identifies other applicable CEO programs, local utility rebates and other state and local programs for schools to leverage. “There are no direct monetary costs for a school to participate in the ESS program. The only costs are associated with staff time to interact with the ESS team and any costs to implement after all external funding sources have been exhausted,” said Michael Turner, CEO’s energy efficiency program manager. “The ESS program supports and, in turn, is supported by a number of CEO and other related programs, including the Supplemental Environmental Projects,

This map shows schools that have participated in the Energy Savings for Schools program. 14

MAY 2018

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[ industry] High Performing School Program, Energy Performance Contracting and Renew Our Schools Program.” Moffat County High School in rural Craig is one of these schools. “Moffat County School District is committed to using the community’s resources in an efficient and effective manner. This includes looking for every opportunity to save on utility costs,” explained Moffat County School District Superintendent Dave Ulrich. “We found the ESS program to be a great partner in helping us identify areas within which we could save.” Through the ESS program, Moffat County High School partnered with a local Steamboat Springs firm to design a new capacitor bank to correct its electrical power factor. The project had an initial cost of $17,000 but will save the school over $3,800 annually. “The most important aspect of the program is that it gave us specific, actionable feedback that could be implemented

immediately,” Ulrich said. “We’re looking forward to reviewing the utility data once the capacitor is installed.” The school also installed an energy monitoring device (e-Gauge) that measures electricity use and provides access to realtime data. The e-Gauges are provided free of charge to eligible schools participating in the ESS program and help school staff and students better understand the real-time impacts of energy use. Local schools are invited to access ESS resources to optimize performance, save money and begin to develop a culture of conservation among students and staff. CEO is recruiting schools from Colorado’s rural and low-income areas to participate in the program. Schools interested in the program should contact program manager Susan Blythe at 970-207-0058, ext. 310 or visit bit.ly/CEOenergysavings.

More than 46 schools already started saving! Estimated Annual Implemented Savings

Writer Katie Kershman is with the Brendle Group, an engineering and planning firm.

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MAY 2018

[feature]

Wild About Birding By Gayle Gresham Confession … I am not a bird-watcher or a birder. There is a difference, you ask? Think about the difference between watching a football game on television and playing in the Super Bowl. Bird-watching and birding run the gamut, including watching birds for pleasure at backyard bird feeders, or jetting back and forth across the USA to count the most bird species in a year, a Big Year. While I am not a bird-watcher or a birder, I am fascinated by this hobby that is rising in popularity in the United States and the world. Anyone can do it, whether you live in the city, the suburbs or the country. Do you love feeding the birds and watching your favorites? Set up your feeders and keep a list of the species that visit. Love to travel? Visit wilderness refuges, travel to bird festivals, take a guided tour. Do you love adventure and competition? Plan on doing a Big Day or a Big Year event. Young or old, couch potato or adventurer, techie or old-school, birdwatching or birding might be for you. BACKYARD BIRD-WATCHING The easiest way to start bird-watching is to look out your window and see the birds. Is that a bluebird? What type of bluebird? An eastern, western or mountain bluebird? You can go old school by checking a field guide like Peterson’s or Sibley’s or you can look up bluebirds on allaboutbirds.org (Cornell Lab of Ornithology). Check the range map and see which is common in your region. Look at the markings and distinctive features. Many birds show enough variation to identify a bird with ease. The All About Birds website also contains recordings of each bird’s song so identification can also be made by the bird song. If you want to go more high tech, download the Merlin Bird ID app (Cornell Lab of Ornithology) to your cell phone. The app asks five questions: Where did you see the bird? When did you see the bird? What size was the bird? What were the main colors? Was the bird eating at a feeder, swimming or wading, on the ground, in trees or bushes, on a fence or wire, soaring or flying? It then pulls up bird photos matching the description that have been taken in your region. Or take a photo of the bird, upload it to Merlin and it will identify the bird for you. By setting up bird feeders, you can draw even more birds to your personal bird-watching domain. Different birds like various types of food and types of feeders. Experiment with thistle for finches; black oil sunflower seeds for grosbeaks and woodpeckers; corn 16

MAY 2018

Sandhill cranes photographed by CCL reader Logan Myers of Buena Vista.

and millet for sparrows and juncos; and orange halves for tanagers. A simple Google search on bird-feeding tips can make you an expert in no time. And don’t forget the hummingbird feeders. Those who catch bird-watching fever often keep a list of the birds they have seen or heard. A life list consists of all of the bird species seen in your life, while a yearly list ticks off every bird species seen in a year. A list can be kept in a simple notebook or in a special birding notebook, or it can be a simple notation of date and place beside the picture in a guide book. Computer list options include Birder’s Diary software, which also allows photos; or the eBird mobile app for cell phones, which uses global positioning system coordinates for bird species sightings. As you become familiar with the birds in your backyard, you will recognize when a bird not common to your area appears. Several years ago, Colorado birder Cherie Wyatt heard an unfamiliar bird song as she was getting ready for her day in Burlington. She looked outside and saw a northern cardinal sitting in the tree near her window. She reported it to a birding group in Denver, which sent out a rare bird sighting alert, and soon people from the Front Range of Colorado were driving a couple of hours to Burlington to see the cardinal in order to add the bird to their lists. The cardinal stayed in the area several months over the winter. coloradocountrylife.coop

[ feature]

LOCAL BIRDING Bird-watching captured your attention and your curiosity has grown beyond the birds showing up in your backyard. Now what? It’s time for birding excursions. First, call someone you know who is a bird-watcher. Don’t know anyone? Start asking around. You might be surprised by which of your friends are birders. Ask at your library about bird-watching clubs or search the internet for local and state birding clubs and chapters of the National Audubon Society and review their programs, events and field trips. You can go out on your own, but it’s helpful to have someone teach you how to locate and identify the birds. Grab your binoculars, camera and cell phone and head to the wilderness or city park. One way to learn from an experienced watcher is to join the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count, which allows beginner birders to take part. Participants count every bird seen or heard in a 15-mile diameter designated circle over a 24-hour period of time between December 14 and January 5. The count acts as an annual census of birds across the world.

>> Attracting BACKYARD BIRDS Blue jays prefer tray feeders or hopper feeders filled with peanuts, sunflower seeds and suet.

You can attract ruby-throated hummingbirds to your backyard. Plant tubular flowers or set up a feeder with sugar water.

Gray jays visit feeders, eating almost any kind of seeds and suet.

Photo by Samantha Small

Photo by Ken Christison

Photo courtesy of Thinkstock

coloradocountrylife.coop

MAY 2018

[feature] TRAVEL BIRDING Your interest in birds has piqued and now you want to see species of birds that are not common in your area. It’s time to travel. You can either travel to see birds in a certain locale or go on vacation and see what interesting birds are in your scheduled location. Once again, the internet can help you identify places to see birds. There are more than 562 National Wildlife Refuges and 38 wetland management districts in the United States. Visit the fws.gov/refuges website for locations and information. There are also 10,234 state parks and 58 national parks, giving you plenty of opportunity to travel and find birds. At least 38 states have American Birding Association birding trails. A designated birding trail system links wildlife refuges, state parks and national parks in a state, along with noted bird habitats found along the route. The trails may be hiking trails or highways to drive. Information on state birding trails can be found on the internet. The World Birding Center in the lower Rio Grande Valley in Texas features nine locations with more than 500 species of birds at the convergence of two major migration flyways. Bird festivals, such as Lamar’s High Plains Snow Goose Festival, the Mesa Verde Birding Festival or the Yampa Valley Crane Festival, are great ways to see specific birds and take part in workshops and tours. Many festivals coincide with migration to see the greatest number of species in a set place.

e E. Edson. Finch photo by CCL reader Joyc

>> VIEWING Tips ☐ Tread lightly to minimize sounds ☐ Wear muted colors to blend in ☐ Stay behind vegetation to break up your outline ☐ Give birds distance ☐ Be prepared with a camera or binoculars

MAY 2018

oward.

ader Kerry H oto by CCL re ph rd bi ng Western so

COMPETITIVE BIRDING If you learned to identify birds and enjoy the challenge, maybe you’re ready to dive into competitive birding. Once again, there are various events for all ages sponsored by bird organizations. Join The Big Sit! hosted by Bird Watcher’s Digest. It is 24 hours of sitting in a 17-foot diameter circle with a team counting every bird species you see. If a team member sees the day’s “Golden Bird,” which is a randomly selected species, the team is in the running for a $500 donation to a nonprofit of the team’s choice. Big Day events, or “birdathons,” are sponsored by bird associations and often raise pledges for their societies and conservation by counting how many species of birds can be seen in 24 hours. These events can be done individually or in teams. The Global Big Day is sponsored by eBird. A year ago, on May 13, 2017, almost 20,000 birders from 150 countries turned in 50,000 checklists with 6,564 species of birds spotted in one day. That is more than 60 percent of all of the species of birds in the world. (The Global Big Day will be May 12 this year.) The Big Year is the ultimate challenge in birding. It is a competition to see who can see the most birds in one year in a specific geographical area and can give you, as a birder, another goal to reach as you add to your life list. coloradocountrylife.coop

[ feature]

UPCOMING EVENTS THE BIGGEST WEEK IN AMERICAN BIRDING FESTIVAL MAY 4-13, 2018, OREGON, OHIO Held in the “Warbler Capital of the World,” this festival in northwestern Ohio features bird ID workshops, guided bird trips, birding by canoe and keynote presentations. A total of 235 species were seen at the 2017 festival, including 35 warbler species. Visit biggestweekinamericanbirding.com for more information.

UTE MOUNTAIN MESA VERDE BIRDING FESTIVAL MAY 9-13, 2018, CORTEZ, COLORADO This southwestern Colorado festival features tours, lectures, a banquet and a bird-themed art show. There have been 180 species seen during this festival. For more information, visit cortezculturalcenter.org/birding-festival

INTERNATIONAL MIGRATORY BIRD DAY MAY 12-13, 2018 This is the only international education program that highlights and celebrates the migration of nearly 350 species of migratory birds between nesting habitats in North America and nonbreeding grounds in Latin America, Mexico and the Caribbean. Each year IMBD explores a different aspect of migratory birds and their conservation. Many wildlife refuges take part in IMBD celebrations. As the date approaches, check birdday.org for more IMBD event listings.

THE GREAT SALT LAKE BIRD FESTIVAL MAY 17-21, 2018, FARMINGTON, UTAH Five days of workshops and tours in a variety of bird habitats from ranches to the Great Salt Lake are offered. Visit daviscountyutah.gov/greatsaltlakebirdfest/home.

POTHOLES AND PRAIRIE BIRDING FESTIVAL JUNE 13-17, 2018, CARRINGTON, NORTH DAKOTA Bird watchers from up to 20 states participate in tours, seminars and other activities. Highlights last year included sightings of 145 bird species including at least one life bird. For information, visit birdingdrives.com/Our_Festival.html.

If your interest in birding takes flight, it can give you a greater awareness of the birds around you, but it can also take you in any one of several directions. It could take you on a trip to see new birds in another locale or it might take you into photographing beautiful birds, capturing them in paints or watercolors on canvas, quilting their likenesses with fabric or copying their songs on an instrument. Whatever it is, it will be totally for the birds.

SEDONA HUMMINGBIRD FESTIVAL JULY 27-29, 2018, SEDONA, ARIZONA Enjoy three days of presentations by hummingbird experts from around the world. The festival also features guided tours of private gardens, a hummingbird banding demonstration and the Hummingbird Marketplace held in the lobby of the Sedona Performing Arts Center. Visit hummingbirdsociety.org/hummingbird-festival for more information.

FOR A COMPLETE LIST OF EVENTS ALL-YEAR, VISIT COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.COOP.

Gayle Gresham writes from her electric-co-op powered home in Elbert. She now has Merlin Bird ID on her phone and is ready to go watch some birds. coloradocountrylife.coop

MAY 2018

[recipes]

Marvelous Mother’s Day Recipes

DELECTABLE DESSERTS TO DELIGHT MOM THIS YEAR BY AMY HIGGINS RECIPES@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

We’ve heard it a thousand times: “I don’t need anything. Your company is all I want.” When gift ideas are limited, what do you give the mom who seems to have it all? This Mother’s Day, make mom marvel over your baking abilities with sweet recipes created by Sugar Hero! blogger Elizabeth LaBau. LaBau offers thorough instructions to ensure your desserts are not only delicious, but eye pleasing as well. Mom will be tickled pink, so get baking and prepare yourself for gobs of gratitude.

WHERE COULD IT BE? Culinary-grade lavender can usually be found near the spices in the baking aisle in most large grocery stores. It can also be purchased on several websites, including Amazon.com.

FUN FACT In 2014, there were 43.5 million mothers between the ages of 15 and 50, according to the United States Census Bureau.

Lavender Lemon Bars For the lavender sugar: 2 tablespoons dried lavender 3 1/4 cups granulated sugar For the crust: 8 ounces unsalted butter, melted 1/2 cup lavender sugar 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 cups all-purpose flour

To Make the Crust: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a 9- by 13-inch pan with foil so that it extends up the sides, and spray the foil with nonstick cooking spray. Whisk together the melted butter, lavender sugar, vanilla and salt in a large bowl. Once mixed, add the flour and stir with a spatula until it is well-combined. Scrape the dough into the pan and press it into an even layer. Bake the crust in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until it’s golden brown on top. While the crust is baking, prepare the filling so it’s ready to go as soon as the crust is done. To Make the Filling: Whisk the eggs, lemon juice, lavender sugar and lemon zest together in a large bowl. Sift the flour on top of the egg mixture and whisk it in. When the crust is done baking, slide the rack partially out of the oven. Pour the filling over the hot crust and slide it back into the oven. Reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake for 25-30 minutes, until the center barely jiggles when you tap the pan. Let the baked bars cool until they reach room temperature. For the cleanest cuts, refrigerate the bars and cut them when completely cold with a large sharp knife. Sprinkle the tops with powdered sugar before serving and garnish with a pinch of lavender if desired.

For the filling: 8 large eggs 1 1/4 cups fresh lemon juice 2 3/4 cups lavender sugar zest of 2 lemons 1/2 cup all-purpose flour For the topping: powdered sugar, to taste pinch of lavender, if desired To Make the Lavender Sugar: Place the dried lavender in the bowl of a food processor and process it for 10-15 seconds to chop it into small pieces. Add 1 cup of granulated sugar to the processor and mix for 20 seconds until the lavender is mixed into the sugar. Add the remaining 2 1/4 cups sugar and pulse briefly to combine.

For more delicious Mother’s Day recipes, click on Recipes at coloradocountrylife.coop. 20

MAY 2018

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[gardening]

bluebird house. Although bluebirds are wellknown for nesting in man-made houses, they will not necessarily nest in every one. This is because location is extremely important. Man-made shelters need to mimic the habitat where birds naturally build their nests. Bluebirds often choose to nest in birdhouses hanging on fence posts along ranch and farmland because they prefer open spaces with perches for hunting insects. Other birds, such as tree swallows, violet-green swallows, ash-throated flycatchers and house wrens, might also build nests in the bluebird boxes. If you have a small, enclosed yard, you might want to try birdhouses designed to BY VICKI SPENCER MASTER GARDENER attract nuthatches, wrens or warblers. Some GARDENING@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG species, such as purple martins, like to nest in groups, so their houses should have at least In February, National Geographic reported bushes, trees and flowers that produce bird four rooms. Other species, like robins and that wildlife scientist John Marzluff completed food naturally. phoebes, prefer nesting shelves rather than a 12-year study that contributes to our I am particularly fond of native plants, enclosed boxes. Remember, it takes time to knowledge of how urbanization affects the which are more insect and disease resistant attract birds to new homes, sometimes up to a dispersal of songbirds. His research indicates than nonnative species and often require less year or more. that some species that avoid urbanized areas, water. Some native grasses for those living You can also provide shelter by planting such as Wilson’s warbler, are in decline. on the eastern plains are prairie coneflower trees and shrubs. In the mountains, aspen Marzluff concludes that the best way to with seed heads that attract finches; little trees provide good nesting spots for protect these avoider species is to preserve blue-stem, which is a good winter seed woodpeckers and swallows, and shrub their native habitat. His study also identifies source; and hawthorne and hackberry, which mountain spiraea provides good shelter for species that managed to adapt to living produce fruit that birds enjoy. If you live in other birds. In semidesert regions, you might with humans. Even though development is a pinon-juniper woodland area, you could plant big sagebrush for western meadowlarks inevitable, we can help adaptor species by plant Indian ricegrass, needle-and-thread and sage sparrows. creating landscapes to attract them. grass, and silvery lupine for their seeds and Because each of Colorado’s zones is If you live near a stream, open space or Oregon grape and Rocky Mountain juniper characterized by different native plants, each forest, chances are you already have a variety for their berries. Higher up in the ponderosa zone will tend to attract different bird species of songbirds that visit your yard. But you pine regions, big bluestem will provide winter that depend on the zone-specific plants for can attract even more birds in our semiarid seeds for birds, and scarlet gilia will attract food and shelter. climate simply by adding a water feature to hummingbirds after winter is over. Gardens in For more ideas on what natives to plant your garden. It’s important to keep the water semidesert areas could include Idaho fescue, in your area, contact the experts at the clean to avoid the transfer of disease and to arrowleaf balsamroot and silvery lupine for Colorado State University Extension, Bureau keep the water from freezing in the winter. their seeds. of Land Management, Natural Resources In addition to needing water, birds need Finally, birds need shelter to survive. If you Conservation Service or the Forest Service. food, such as seeds, berries, nectar or insects, live in an area without trees, you can set out to survive. As much as I want to keep feeders nest boxes or plant fast-growing shrubs. The Gardener Vicki Spencer has an eclectic in my yard, I find it difficult with so many type of shelter you provide will determine background in conservation, water, natural birds visiting. Since I prefer gardening to which species are drawn to your yard. One of resources and more. maintaining feeders, I planted a variety of the most popular commercial nest boxes is a

BRING IN THE BIRDS

Attract birds with goal-specific gardening

More Online: Read previous gardening columns at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Gardening under Living in Colorado. 22

MAY 2018

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I am in my early 50's and have a 20 year old son struggling with drugs and alcohol. I was unaware of the extent of his use, but it's clear that it's now ruining his life. It used to be that the drugs interfered with his school, now it's like the school is interfering with his drugs. Our family is falling apart. He lost his girlfriend, friends, and his sister wants nothing to do with him. I don't want to lose him! Please help me get my baby back. Need a Change, Chicago, IL Dear Need a Change: You have courage to speak up and ask for help. It's never too late to make a change and get your family back. I know, I've been through this! There is nothing worse than watching a loved one spiral out of control and not be able to save them. We were in the grips of addiction and didn't know what to do or where to go, but we found help! We called the Addiction Specialists at 844-505-3007. They gave us answers, support and ultimately saved my child and our family. They are professionals who are not only trained in addiction treatments but also have been down the long and painful road of recovery. Their experience is invaluable. They helped all of us take the right steps. It hasn't been a bowl of cherries, but it worked and it's still working! Give them a call: 844-505-3007. We are all part of the recovery process like it or not so get started on getting better! Call them. There is no judgments and no shame just loving professionals committed to you and your family. It was the best thing I ever did for my family and myself. I was surprised that they took my insurance which was a huge concern. Not having that looming over us took a load off for sure! It's never too late unless you wait. Call now and get your life back! You won't regret it. Addiction doesn't discriminate; there is no shame in making the call. Do it for yourself. Do it for your family. Do it now. 844-505-3007 coloradocountrylife.coop

MAY 2018

[outdoors]

A Nod to Nature’s Nuances TAKING A CLOSER LOOK AT CREATURES’ BEHAVIORS BY DENNIS SMITH OUTDOORS@COLORADOCOUNTRYLIFE.ORG

Three years ago, Pat Mulligan and I were fishing dry flies on a tiny creek near Walden, Colorado, and catching some pretty nice brook trout when a dragonfly nymph crawled up Pat’s waders, across his arm and into the palm of his hand. “Hey,” he hollered. “Come take a look at this thing.”

A dragonfly, freshly hatched and its nymphal case.

If you’ve ever seen one, you know dragonfly nymphs are flatout, creepy-looking bugs: squat, thick-bodied creatures with armored legs, enormous bulging eyes and drab, spiky, dinosaur-like exoskeletons. They look like something that just crawled out of “Jurassic Park” or a smaller version of the lead monster in one of those “Whatchamacallits-That-Ate-Tokyo” films. But never mind. Now it was in Pat’s hand and in the process of morphing from a distinctly unattractive nymph into a Granny Smith apple-green, mosquito-eating predator with a long, slender body and four lacy wings that can rotate independently, permitting it to fly forward, backward, straight up and down, hover in place like a helicopter or accelerate like an F-18 on a strafing run.

MAY 2018

“You ever seen one of these hatch before?” I asked Pat. Truth is, neither of us had, despite all the years we spent on the water chasing fish. Dragonflies hatch by the millions, all summer long, just about everywhere there’s a water source — lakes, ponds, creeks — and hardly anyone ever notices. Which got us to talking about some of the other wildlife drama we all see unfold while hunting or fishing; things that happen in nature, day in and day out, but which most of us fail to recognize or appreciate. Like the silly seagulls back at our camp on North Delaney Buttes Lake. At first glance you might think they’re just cruising around aimlessly for the sheer joy of riding the wind, until one of them suddenly swoops into a stall, hovers momentarily, then folds its wings and dives like a missile into the surf to come up with a big brown crayfish from the mud-crusted bottom of the lake. How do they spot those things from so high in the air? It’s a marvel. Two years ago, I was photographing a flock of pelicans herding schools of gizzard shad into a shallow bay on an irrigation reservoir. They drove the shad up against the bank, then encircled them and scooped them up in their amazingly elastic beaks and swallowed them whole like they were sipping down cherrystone clams. Some of those shad were as long as a grown man’s forearm. How do pelicans do that without choking to death? Meanwhile, a great blue heron was stalking the shoreline like a ninja, spearing the panicked shad with its sword-like beak and piling them up on shore, presumably to eat later when the fishing slowed down. Or maybe he was just competing with the pelicans, thinking they were stealing “his” fish. I really don’t know, but it sure was fascinating to watch. Dennis Smith is a freelance outdoors writer and photographer whose work appears nationally. He lives in Loveland.

Miss an issue?

Catch up at coloradocountrylife.coop. Click on Outdoors.

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There are several ways to make your home more comfortable this summer without overloading your electric bill. The first step is to reduce your home’s solar gains — the heat energy it collects from the sun. Since most solar gains originate through your home’s windows, awnings are an effective solution. They can reduce solar heat gain by as much as 65 percent on south-facing windows and 77 percent on west-facing windows. Try less expensive solutions on the outside or inside of your windows, like reflective films and solar screens. Heavy window coverings also work and have the added benefit of reducing heat loss during winter. Skylights and attics are major sources of heat gain. Reflective film or specially designed window coverings are potential Converted attics tend to overheat solutions for in the summer because of low insulation levels and poor ventilaskylights. tion between the living space and Attics can the roof. A skylight can provide become welcome daylight but unwanted extremely hot solar heat gain. Photo Credit: Kevin Kerrick, Flickr. and radiate heat through the ceiling into your living space. Abundant venting through the roof, gable or eaves is one solution, but you also need adequate attic insulation. Seal air leaks around windows, doors, plumbing and wiring penetrations to keep warm air out and cool air in. If you have central air-conditioning, make sure it’s working efficiently. Replace the filters regularly and check to see if your supply registers are open. The least expensive way to cool yourself is air movement. A ceiling fan or portable fan can make a room feel up to 10 degrees cooler, but keep in mind, fans cool people not rooms. Turn them off when you’re not in the room. This column was co-written by Pat Keegan and Brad Thiessen of Collaborative Efficiency.

Visit coloradocountrylife.coop to learn more about keeping cool. Look under the Energy tab. MAY 2018

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Costly Joint-Pain Injections Replaced By New $2 Pill

New pill boosts the same lubricating joint �luid as expensive and painful injections - without using a needle. Users report dramatic relief from swelling, pain and stiffness without side effects and expense. By Jack Isler, M.D. Health News Syndicate HNS—A popular needle injection for people with joint pain is now available in an inexpensive nonprescription pill. The breakthrough came when researchers discovered a way to deliver the injected “relief molecule” through the digestive system. Top US clinics have used these needle injections for years because they deliver powerful relief. Unfortunately, the shots are painful and expensive. They also only work on the joint being treated. The new pill, called Synovia, delivers the same “relief molecule” as the injections. However, it has some impressive advantages. First, it’s inexpensive and nonprescription. Also, relief is delivered to every joint in the body because it enters the bloodstream through the digestive system. This gives it the ability to reduce a much wider variety of pain. Users report greater �lexibility and less stiffness in their knees. Hands and shoulders move pain-free for the �irst time in years. Even neck and lower back pain improve dramatically. All this without spending over $600 on needle injections and taking trips to the doctor every week. The medical community is very excited about this new breakthrough. Dr. Jacob Moss says, “Synovia is a great option for those suffering from joint pain. Injections are usually a last resort because of the pain and expense. However, Synovia should be taken at the �irst sign of discomfort.”

New Discovery

The needle injection procedure has been given to hundreds of thousands of patients over the last several years. Doctors use the shots to boost a critical element of the joint called synovial �luid. This lubricating �luid is found between the cartilage and bones of every joint. According to the �irm’s head of R&D, Mike McNeill, “Researchers have been working for years to �ind a way to boost this �luid noninvasively. The problem was the molecule used in the injections was too large to absorb into the bloodstream.” Top scientists conquered this obstacle by �inding a smaller form of the same molecule. This new glucose form is easily absorbed by

your stomach and intestines! Now those who suffer from joint pain can get relief without painful injections. At less than $2 per day, early users like Steve Young are impressed. He says, “I’ve tried more pills than I can count, without any luck. Synovia is different. My knees and hands haven’t felt this good in years!”

Impressive Clinical Results

Leading clinics use injection therapy because it works. Recent clinical trials show the pill form also delivers major relief. One example is a landmark study out of Europe. In the study the active ingredient in Synovia was compared to a popular NSAID pain reliever. The goal was to see if it could reduce pain and swelling around the knee. The results were incredible! After just 30 days, more than 8 out of 10 people who took Synovia’s active ingredient had NO swelling. However, only 2 out of 10 people who took the NSAID experienced reduced swelling. The study also looked at cases of severe swelling. Amazingly, zero cases of severe swelling were detected in the group taking the active ingredient found in Synovia. This means it was 100% effective for the cases of severe swelling! In contrast, 9 out of 10 people taking the NSAID still had severe swelling. McNeill points out, “The impressive thing about this study is the active ingredient wasn’t tested against a fake pill. It was up against one of the most popular NSAIDs people use every day. It’s easy to see why people in pain are excited to get relief without an injection.”

The New Way It Delivers Relief

Getting relief without injections has big advantages. The most obvious is avoiding being stuck by a large needle every week for 5 weeks. Another downside of injections is the doctor can “miss”. The needle needs to be inserted into a precise spot in the joint to work. Otherwise, you risk the treatment being ineffective. However, boosting your lubricating joint �luid by taking a pill delivers relief to all your joints, not just one. There’s an additional reason the active ingredient in Synovia works so well – it nourishes the cartilage. McNeill says, “This is vital because cartilage does not have blood vessels. The �luid in the joint serves two very important pain-relief roles: lubrication and giving the cartilage the nutrients it needs to start re-growing.”

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BEFORE: �luidoror BEFORE:No Nolubricating lubricating fluid cartilage leads painful bone-oncartilage lead to to pain bone-on-bone bone rubbing. rubbing.

AFTER: AFTER:Synovia’s Synovia’sactive activeingredients ingredients lubricate joints and andnourish nourishcartilage cartilagesosoit lubricate joints itcan can re-grow! re-grow!

The new delivery system for this molecule has caught the attention of leading medical doctors. “Needle injections for joint pain have been around for years because they work. Being

NO MORE NEEDLES: A popular needle injection pain-killer for joint pain is being replaced. The key molecule in these injections can now be delivered by taking a new low-cost pill called Synovia.

able to get the same relief molecule through a pill is amazing. Injections may be a last resort, but I’d recommend Synovia at the �irst sign of pain,” said Dr. Marie Laguna. Dr. Gerardo Pereira, a renowned surgeon from Florida says, “Injections aim to boost synovial �luid, which lubricates the joint. Those suffering from joint pain usually have very little of this �luid. Synovia helps relieve pain by boosting this key lubricant without needles.” Dr. Moss adds, “The research behind the active ingredient in Synovia is very exciting. This product is a great choice for those who haven’t had success with other joint pain treatments.”

110% Money Back Guarantee

Amazing feedback from users of Synovia has generated a wave of con�idence at the company. So much so that they now offer Synovia with a 110% money back guarantee. The company’s president, Michael Kenneth says, “We’ve seen how well it works. Now we want to remove any risk for those who might think Synovia sounds too good to be true.” Simply take the pill exactly as directed. You must enjoy fast acting relief. Otherwise, return the product as directed and you’ll receive 100% of your money back plus an extra 10%.

How To Get Synovia

Today marks the o�icial nation wide release of Synovia. As such, the company is offering a special discounted supply to everyone who calls within the next 48 hours. A Regional Order Hotline has been set up for local readers to call. This is the only way to try Synovia with their “110% money back” guarantee. Starting at 6:00 am today the order hotline will be open for 48 hours. All you have to do is call TOLL FREE 1-800-995-9713 and provide the operator with the special discount approval code: SYN18. The company will do the rest. Current supplies of Synovia are limited, and callers that don’t get through to the order hotline within the next 48 hours may have to pay more and wait until more inventory is produced. This could take as long as 6 weeks.

THESE STATEMENTS HAVE NOT BEEN EVALUATED BY THE FOOD TNE DRUG ADMINSTRATION. THIS PRODUCT IS NOT INTENDED TO DIAGNOSE, TREAT, CURE OR PREVENT ANY DISEASE. ALL DOCTORS MENTIONED ARE REMUNERATED FOR THEIR SERVICE. ALL CLINICAL STUDIES WERE INDEPENDENTLY CONDUCTED AND WERE NOT SPONSORED BY MAKERS OF SYNOVIA. coloradocountrylife.coop MAY 2018

[classifieds] TO PLACE A CLASSIFIED AD

Please type or print your ad on a separate paper. Indicate how many months you would like your ad to run and which month to start. There is a minimum of 12 words at $2.63 per word/month. Be sure to include your full name and address for our records. Check MUST accompany this order or call to pay by credit card. Send your ad to: mail: Colorado Country Life 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 phone: 303-902-7276 fax: 303-455-2807 email: classifieds@coloradocountrylife.org

ANTIQUE RESTORATION CHAIR CANING — Hand caning, machine caning, fiber rush caning. Pueblo West, 719-547-0723. chaanita@q.com (858-10-18)

ANTLERS ANTLER CHANDELIERS made only from REAL antlers. We are the manufacturer and we sell all of our products at wholesale prices; save as much as 60% from store prices. Many other antler products and mounts, including 56” elk mount, giant moose paddles, and elk antlers. Showroom open May through September in Granby, CO. 19 years at this location, over 919 satisfied customers! Designers: We can provide you a single item or a whole houseful. Call 970-627-3053 (085-09-18)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES (These opportunities have not been investigated by Colorado Country Life.) HEALTH FOOD STORE & DELI: 2 turnkey businesses. Strong income/customer base. Gunnison, Colorado (970-641-5175), leave name & number. (252-08-18)

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES MARKETING MAGIC! Earn direct/ passive/residual income! Leverage “Synergistic Marketing” tools – PROVEN postcards, flyers, systems, automated processes and more! Several programs/income levels – including 618-355-1121 Promo code: takeaction (automated income system/share the number)! Get connected today! www. VirtualFlyer.biz (939-05-18)

CLOCK REPAIR & RESTORATION www.clockrepairandrestoration. com Antique and modern. DURANGO AREA. Original designer jewelry. bob.scott@usa.net Call Robert 970-247-7729. (109-07-18)

ENERGY SOLAR WATER SYSTEMS — Livestock or any remote location. 3-10 gpm. Variable speed. Call Peterson High Reach for free quote. 719-688-0081. Windmills available. (316-06-18)

FLEA MARKETS

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DURANGO OPEN-AIR FLEA MARKET every Sunday at La Plata County Fairgrounds — 25th & Main. Setup 6-8 am. Shopping 8am-3pm. May 6-Nov. 4, 2018. 970-385-0385 for questions. (935-10-18)

DO YOU WANT BETTER SLEEP, stamina, energy, or sense of wellbeing? Try this natural essential mineral blend. Shop Humate Health PHA Blend on amazon.com or call 970-749-7773 & follow our motto: “Eat “dirt” to thrive!” (934-07-18)

CAST-IRON COOKWARE (Wagner & Griswold). Pyrex. Old toys in good condition. Vintage signs. Anything cowboy and Indian – hats, boots, spurs, rugs, etc. Antiques, collectibles, furniture, glassware, etc. We come to you! 970-7593455 or 970-565-1256. (871-01-19)

FOOD FREE BUTCHER SUPPLY CATALOG — Meat grinders, saws, slicers, cutlery, seasonings — Everything for the home butcher. Pioneer Butcher Supplies in Loveland, CO, since 1975. 1-888-891-7057, toll free. (349-06-18)

FREE SOON CHURCH AND GOVERNMENT UNITING, suppressing “Religious Liberty,” enforcing “National Sunday Law.” Be informed! Need mailing address only. TBSM, Box 99, Lenoir City, TN 37771. thebiblesaystruth@yahoo.com 1-888-211-1715. (eom814-1,3,5,7,9,11-18) CONGRATS YOU FOUND THE INSTRUCTIONS. Send an email with the number of classified ads to classifieds@coloradocountrylife. org. Subject line MUST say “Classifieds Contest.” Include name, mailing address and phone number in an email. We’ll draw one name on May 15.

GRASS STOP FEEDING PRAIRIE DOGS. We’ll rent hunting rights from you. Seriously looking for duck & goose habitat. Encourage young sportsmen by providing safe, private access. You make the rules. 303-460-0273 (069-08-18)

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LIVESTOCK COLORADO INDEPENDENT CATTLEGROWERS ASSOCIATION represents Independent Colorado Ranchers! Join! www.coloica.com, 1-719-980-0460, cattlegrowers@ coloica.com (936-03-19)

POULTRY / GAMEBIRDS FREE COLOR CATALOG – 193 varieties, Cornish Cross, standard breeds, fancy chicks, ducks, geese, turkeys, bantams, guineas, pheasants, quail, supplies, video. 417-532-4581. PO Box 529, Lebanon, MO 65536. www. cacklehatchery.com (876-07-18)

REAL ESTATE 35-ACRE MOUNTAIN PROPERTY — $110,000. S. of Guffey, Colo., in Fremont County. Wooded mountainside & grassy meadow. Magnificent views. 719-495-3295, RBKarabians@ hotmail.com (370-05-18) WE BUY LAND and/or mineral rights. CO TX NM KS. 1-800-316-5337 (099-04-19)

Find hidden treasure in the CLASSIFIEDS

ELECTRIC CEMENT MIXER, 970641-7090. Floor model meat band saw with grinder attachment & blades, 970-641-7090. (936-05-18) ENGRAVED, old, fancy, Colt revolvers. 620-3846077 KS (372-05-18) NAVAJO RUGS, old and recent, native baskets, pottery. Tribal Rugs, Salida. 719-539-5363, b_inaz@ hotmail.com (817-06-18) OLD COLORADO LIVESTOCK brand books prior to 1925. Call Wes 303-757-8553. (889-08-18) OLD GAS AND OIL items: Gas pumps, advertising signs, globes, etc. Pieces, parts, etc. considered. Also 1932-34 Ford cars and trucks, parts and pieces, too. Any condition. Brandon, 719-250-5721. (519-11-18) OLD POCKET WATCHES— working or non-working and old repair material. Bob 719-859-4209. (870-06-18) WANT TO PURCHASE MINERALS and other oil/gas interests. Send details to: PO Box 13557, Denver, CO 80201 (402-04-19) WANTED: JEEP CJ OR WRANGLER. Reasonably priced. No rust buckets. 888-735-5337 (099-04-19) WE PAY CASH for mineral and oil/gas interests, producing and non-producing. 800733-8122 (099-02-19)

Are you reading someone else’s copy of Colorado Country Life magazine?

Read through the ads and FIND the CCL classified explaining how to WIN $25. It’s easy. You could WIN. The April classified ads contest winner is Alyce Wich of Colorado Springs, a Mountain View Electric member. She correctly counted 27 classified ads.

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To order, call Colorado Country Life at 303-455-4111. 28

MAY 2018

coloradocountrylife.coop

[ funny stories]

READERS PHOTOS

Bob Mascarenas, a Sangre de Cristo Electric member, takes Colorado Country Life to Roatan, Honduras.

WINNER: Shelby Bauer, a Poudre Valley Electric member, visits Glasgow, Scotland, where she competed at the World Irish Dance Championships.

Fred and Denise Wiseman, Mountain View Electric members, visit Kearney, Nebraska, to see the sandhill cranes. Sharon and Wayne Cooper stand with Colorado Country Life in front of “Sight and Sound Theater” in Branson, Missouri.

La Plata Electric members Kiara and Gavin Hamlin go scuba diving while on spring break near Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

Mountain View Electric members Patrick Mueller and Susan Thomas, Peyton, visit Isla Catalina, Dominican Republic.

Silvana Loblick of Colorado Springs, a Mountain View Electric member, visits the island of Bonaire.

Lanny Wagner, an Empire Electric Association member, takes Colorado Country Life to the Blue Lagoon in Iceland.

TAKE YOUR PHOTO WITH YOUR MAGAZINE AND WIN! It’s easy to win with Colorado Country Life. Simply take a photo of someone (or a selfie!) with the magazine and email the photo and your name and address to info@coloradocountrylife.org. We’ll draw one photo to win $25 each month. The next deadline is Tuesday, May 15. NAME, ADDRESS AND CO-OP MUST ACCOMPANY PHOTO. This month’s winner is Shelby Bauer, a Poudre Valley Electric member, who visited Glasgow, Scotland. See all of the submitted photos on Facebook at /COCountryLife. coloradocountrylife.coop

My 3-year-old granddaughter and I were watching two mule deer through the car window. I explained that the one with the antlers was the daddy and the other one was the mommy. She asked me where the baby was, and I told her the baby was still in the mommy’s tummy. After a brief pause, she asked in a horrified tone, “She ATE it?” Laura Martinez, Loveland An elderly couple had dinner at another couple’s house. After eating, the wives left the table and went into the kitchen. The two gentlemen were talking and one said, “Last night we went out to a new restaurant and it was really great. I would recommend it very highly.” The other man said, “What is the name of the restaurant?” The first man thought and thought and finally said, “What is the name of that flower you give to someone you love? You know, the one that’s red and has thorns.” “ Do you mean a rose?” replied his friend. “Yes, that’s the one,” answered the first man. Then he turned toward the kitchen and yelled, “Rose, what’s the name of that restaurant we went to last night?” Leslie Roy, Livermore One day, a first-grade teacher was reading the story of Chicken Little to her class. She came to the part where Chicken Little warns the farmer. “… And Chicken Little said, ‘The sky is falling,’” the teacher read aloud. The teacher then asked the class, “And what do you think the farmer said?” One little girl raised her hand and said, “Holy cow! A talking chicken!” The teacher was unable to teach for the next 10 minutes. Lila Taylor, Stratton We pay $15 to each person who submits a funny story that’s printed in the magazine. At the end of the year we will draw one name from those submitting funny stories and that person will receive $200. Send your 2018 stories to Colorado Country Life, 5400 Washington St., Denver, CO 80216 or email funnystories@ coloradocountrylife.org. Don’t forget to include your mailing address, so we can send you a check.

$15 MAY 2018

[discoveries]

A SWIFT SWITCH Wirelessly control your electric outlets with the Quirky SwitchFlip. Just locate an outlet that’s controlled by a switch, plug the SwitchFlip transmitter into that outlet, plug the receiver into the outlet you want to control and now it’s ready for use. You can sync several receivers to the one transmitter so you can control multiple outlets at once. Bonus: There’s no need to use smart technology. Cost is $29.99. For more information, call 888-784-2835 or visit viatekproducts.com. See how it works: youtube.com/watch?time_ continue=33&v=_wG5jlxhRN0

A CLEVER CASE Mobile Music to Your Ears

Get vibrant sound on the go with Yatra’s Aquatune 9612. The Aquatune is a 9-watt weatherproof speaker that can go anywhere you want to be, whether it’s on your bike, boat or pool “floaty.” The Aquatune can be heard from more than 30 feet away, so bring it to your next outing and your friends and family can listen to toe-tapping tunes while enjoying the outdoors with you. Cost is $59.99. For more information, visit shopyatra.com.

Slip the sleek i-BLADES Smartcase onto your smartphone. This case has built-in technology that provides users with an additional 10 hours of talk time and up to 64 gigabytes of extra storage. It comes with a removable battery and can even monitor the air quality surrounding you with its Enviro Sensor™ embedded inside the Smartcase. Compatible with Samsung Galaxy phones and notebooks. Prices range from $79 to $129. iPhone series is expected to be released later this year. For more information, visit i-blades.com. See how it works: youtube.com/watch?v=7BfVQ3MhVys

A Smart Start to Your Day

WITTI Design’s BEDDI alarm clocks aren’t the typical type — they light up spaces and keep gadgets powered up. The BEDDI Charge’s ($29.99) light changes colors and can charge three devices at a time. Give your BEDDI Style alarm clock ($49.99) a face-lift whenever it suits you with its interchangeable faceplates ($7.99 each). The Style charges devices and has a Bluetooth speaker, a white noise generator and changeable mood lighting. The BEDDI Glow ($79.99) has a wake-up light that simulates the sunrise and an adjustable mood light with 16 million color options. It also comes with a Bluetooth speaker, so you can listen to your favorite music or podcasts while charging your smart device. For more information, visit wittidesign.com.

MAY 2018

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*Original coupon only. No use on prior purchases after 30 days from original purchase or without original receipt. Valid through 9/1/18.

$799 SUPER COUPON

2/10/50 AMP, 12 VOLT BATTERY CHARGER/ ENGINE STARTER

NOW

$899

COMPARE TO

ROUNDUP $ 71

MODEL: 190315

SAVE 51%

1299

SAVE 57%

$ 99 SCHUMACHER ELECTRIC MODEL: SE-1250

COMPARE TO

ITEM 63124/63145/95692 shown

ITEM 60581/60653 shown

LIMIT 9 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

$299 $499

NOW

ITEM 61899/63095/63096 63098/63097/93888 shown

NOW

$2999 $

4999

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

SUPER COUPON

SUPER COUPON Customer Rating

40 PIECE, 3/8" DRIVE SAE AND METRIC SOCKET SET

ENERGY, ANYWHERE

NOW

SAVE 71%

BUFFALO SAVE TOOLS $ 59% 43

HOME AND GARDEN SPRAYER

7 FT. 4" x 9 FT. 6" 100 WATT SOLAR PANEL KIT Customer Rating ALL PURPOSE/WEATHER RESISTANT TARP RENEWABLE

NOW

COMPARE TO

LIMIT 9 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

SUPER COUPON

80 PIECE ROTARY TOOL KIT

18" x 12" MOVER'S DOLLY

• 1000 lb. capacity

NOW

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

SUPER COUPON

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

NOW

COMPARE TO

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

Customer Rating 1-1/4 GALLON

$999

SAVE $70

Customer Rating

SUPER COUPON

NOW

2580

16999

MODEL: DWFP55126

ITEM 62511/62894/62380/68149/67696 shown

10 FT. x 20 FT. PORTABLE CAR CANOPY

LIMIT 5 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

Includes 6V, 900 mAh NiCd battery pack.

MODEL: 2411-1

DEWALT

• Air delivery: 2.5 CFM @ 90 PSI 3.4 CFM @ 40 PSI Customer Rating Cu

SUPER COUPON

8999 $799 9

4-1/2" ANGLE GRINDER 60 LED SOLAR SECURITY LIGHT

SAVE 61%

COMPARE TO

MODEL: 1125220

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

SUPER COUPON

7999 Customer Rating $12499

SUPER COUPON

NOW

ITEM 60395/62325 62493/61523 shown

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

COMPARE TO

$99

ITEM 61840/61297/63476/61258 shown

COMPARE TO

SAVE $53

NOW

Customer Rating ng

ITEM 62520/60238 shown

PERFORMAX

COMPARE TO SUPERWINCH

• 300 lb. capacity • Weighs 72.5 lbs.

6799

NOW

ATV/LAWN MOWER LIFT

NOW

Voted Best Winches

SUPER COUPON

8", 5 SPEED BENCHTOP DRILL PRESS

$4 9

• 11-1/8" L x 4-1/2" H

LIMIT 3 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

SUPER COUPON

Customer Rating

LIMIT 1 coupon per customer per day. Save 20% on any 1 item purchased. *Cannot be used with other discount, coupon or any of the following items or brands: Inside Track Club membership, Extended Service Plan, gift card, open box item, 3 day Parking Lot Sale item, compressors, floor jacks, safes, saw mills, storage cabinets, chests or carts, trailers, trenchers, welders, Admiral, Ames, Bauer, Cobra, CoverPro, Daytona, Earthquake, Fischer, Hercules, Icon, Jupiter, Lynxx, Poulan, Predator, Tailgator, Viking, Vulcan, Zurich. Not valid on prior purchases. Non-transferable. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/1/18.

SUPER Battle Tested COUPON 2500 LB. ELECTRIC WINCH WITH 6 GALLON, 1.5 HP, 150 PSI PROFESSIONAL OIL-FREE WIRELESS REMOTE CONTROL AIR COMPRESSOR • Weighs 14.3 lbs.

$4999 $

249

COMPARE TO

MODEL: 11194

ITEM 62535/90566 shown

SUPER COUPON

MODEL: KRA4813FPBO

ANY SINGLE ITEM*

Cannot be used with other discounts or prior purchases. Original coupon must be presented. Valid through 9/1/18 while supplies last. Limit 1 FREE GIFT per customer per day.

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

44" x 22" DOUBLE BANK 1/2" HEAVY DUTY 950 TORQUE ROLLER CABINET COMPOSITE PRO FT. LBS. BOLT BREAKAWAY AIR IMPACT WRENCH Customer Rating NOW • Weighs 99 NOW 5 lbs.

SNAP-ON

TITAN $ 99

Hardware sold separately.

Wheel kit and battery

SUPER COUPON

COMPARE TO $

4" MAGNETIC PARTS HOLDER

sold separately. ITEM 68530/63086/63085 shown ITEM 68525/63087/63088, CALIFORNIA ONLY

MODEL: HD00120

20% OFF

ANY PURCHASE

• Non-Marring Base • Stainless Steel

outlets 59999 • GFCI SAVE

COMPARE TO

14998 SAVE $69

WITH

9 $5299

SUPER COUPON

FREE

NOW

• Weighs 73 lbs.

20"

COMPARE TO

SUPER COUPON

NOW

ITEM 64335 63585 shown COMPARE TO $

SUNFORCE

199

32592 SAVE $175

MODEL: 50180

99 NOW 99

$1 49

LIMIT 4 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

COMPARE TO

KOBALT

1997

MODEL: 89809

SAVE 80%

$399 $499

ITEM 63015/61328/47902/62843 shown LIMIT 8 - Coupon valid through 9/1/18*

At Harbor Freight Tools, the “Compare to” price means that the specified comparison, which is an item with the same or similar function, was advertised for sale at or above the “Compare to” price by another national retailer in the U.S. within the past 90 days. Prices advertised by others may vary by location. No other meaning of “Compare to” should be implied. For more information, go to HarborFreight.com or see store associate.

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